Next up in the Growing Into Grace series is Ivy Felicia. I began following her movement through a collaboration that we were both a part of. I love that her message is all about loving ourselves even as we work to become our best selves in health and wellness.

Ivy is a certified Holistic Health Coach and Body Image Expert. Her commitment to teach men and women how to have a loving relationship with their bodies is inspiring! She helps her clients develop personalized lifestyle plans that will help them develop wellness habits without body shaming. Also a co-host of Chat, Chew, & You, Ivy spreads her message in a variety of ways!

There are so many things in life that constantly change. Many of the things that we learn as children, and believe to be absolute truth, are concepts that evolve as we grow into our adult years. We begin to form our own perspectives on the world and discover what truth to us is. In my life journey, one of the things that has become most important to me is redefining my truth. I have learned how to question and explore, rather than immediately accept what is given to me. In learning the art of questioning, I give myself permission to define my truth and to write the beliefs that build the foundation for all the decisions that I make in my life. Although I have several things that serve as truth for me, there are a few that are most important. Here are 5 that I cherish the most. “What I know for sure is…”

1.Love is the most powerful force in the universe. I believe that God and Love are one and the same. I know that Love is the source of life for every being and organism in this world and it is Love that sustains us. Love is omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent. Everywhere that we go and in everything that we do, Love is always there. We never have to “search” for Love or try to find it. Because Love is infinite. It has always been here and is always available for us to embrace at any time that we choose. Love is always a choice.

2.I am a soul that lives in a body. With all the focus on external beauty, fashion, and appearance it can be easy to forget that we are not our bodies. We are in fact souls that live in a body. The essence of who I am, is my soul. I know that my body is the vehicle by which I navigate life in the moment. My body is my temple that allows my spiritual being to accomplish natural things. That is why I believe that a loving relationship between body and soul is imperative to fulfilling my purpose in life. When the body and soul are unified, nothing is impossible.

3.I am enough. In all my imperfections, mistakes, weaknesses, and fears I am perfectly imperfect. All of the attributes within me make me whole and balanced. There are no “bad” parts of me that I need to feel shame or judgment around. Every part of me is necessary and beautiful. I am complete and always worthy of love in every moment. There is always the opportunity to evolve into a higher version of myself, and I can do so if I choose. However, the choice never defines my worthiness.

4.I have access to what I need. The provisions for my life are always available to me. The resources that I need to accomplish my daily tasks, are available. The resources to flourish and excel are available. The resources to be successful are available. It is always a matter of faith and patience. Both determine my ability to manifest the things I need. Many times we focus on what we do not have and allow it to deter us from progression in life. I am learning to focus on abundance and I believe that I will always have what I need, in the moment that I need it.

5.Life happens. I get to choose my reaction. There are many things that happen in life that we don’t always have a complete understanding about. We don’t always have immediate clarity around life events. Life is happening all around us. However, we get to choose our reactions in any given moment. Rather than feeling like I am a “victim” of life, I choose to take power over how I invest my energy in any given moment. It is not something that is easy, or automatic. It is something that I have to cultivate. I have the power to manage my mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual energy that is allotted to me each day. By making the choices that best serve me, I am able to be a co-creator of my own life.